1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the field of power tool accessories, and more specifically, to a drill tool and accessory strap assembly.
2. Background Art
Hand-held power drills, externally powered or cordless, are extensively used by drill operators including electricians, plumbers, carpenters, masons, drywall hangers, HVAC technicians, metal fashioners, painters, roofers, and homeowners. One of the most common problems shared by drill operators is the temporary, secure storage and retrieval of drill tools and accessories. Often, these drill tools are relatively small and easy to misplace. However, these small drill tools are critical to the performance of the power drill and must be stored securely while still allowing ready and immediate access without interfering with the operation of the power drill.
Various devices have been used to hold drill tools required for operating hand-held power drills. However, these conventional drill tool holding devices have certain drawbacks that have long existed and have not been effectively overcome.
For example, drill tools are often stored in the tool""s original packaging, but this approach fails if the package is missing, destroyed, or otherwise rendered inoperative. Alternatively, drill tools are simply thrown into a large toolbox, belt pouch, pocket, and the like where they can be lost or damaged. Additionally, when working with a combination of different drill tools when an application requires going back and forth from tool to tool, drill tools are quite often lost or misplaced momentarily in a tool box, pouch, pocket, or the like, thereby necessitating a time consuming search.
Other types of drill tool holding devices are on-drill storage systems. One example of an on-drill storage system consists of a storage bay built into a drill""s housing. However, storage bays are limited to screw bits only, and therefore, are not versatile (i.e., the storage bays do not accommodate a variety of different shapes and sizes of drill tools). Another example of an on-drill storage system consists of a recessed magnet in the lower portion of the drill handle. However, only metal tools are able to be held in place, while other non-metal accessories commonly used during drilling applications (e.g. a pencil, a tube of oil, a brush, etc.) are not able to be held in place on the drill.
Still other drill tool holding devices mounted on the drill handle or front drill body rely upon sleeve, band, or belt holding devices to retain the drill tools against the drill. However, these conventional holding devices suffer from the tendency of the device to slip off the handle portion or the body portion of the drill over time and heavy use (i.e., inserting and removing drill tools from the strap, band, or belt holding devices), thereby effectively rendering such devices ineffective for securely storing drill tools for ready and immediate access. Furthermore, tools held on the drill handle make the drill handle difficult and uncomfortable to grip by a drill operator.
Therefore, what is needed is drill tool holding device that is versatile, securely stores and maintains accessible various drill tools and accessories, and does not slip off the drill over time and heavy use.
The invention solves the aforementioned disadvantages of conventional drill tool holding devices through a strap assembly for securely holding virtually any drill tool and accessory on a hand-held power drill. The strap assembly may generally include at least one strap having a first end portion coupled to a second end portion. The at least one strap may be configured to removably mount on a handle portion of the drill, to removably twist 180xc2x0 and mount on a rear end portion of the drill, and to removably mount on a rear body portion of the drill.
The invention also solves the problems of conventional drill tool holding devices through a method for fabricating the strap assembly and a method for mounting the strap assembly in an operative position on a hand-held power drill. The fabrication method of the invention may generally include steps of: twisting the at least one strap 360xc2x0 about a longitudinal axis extending from the first end portion of the strap to the second end portion of the strap; and coupling the first end portion to the second end portion. The mounting method of the invention may generally include steps of: removably mounting the at least one strap on the handle portion of the drill; removably twisting 180xc2x0 and mounting the at least one strap on the rear end portion of the drill; and removably mounting the at least one strap on the rear body portion of the drill.
Accordingly, the strap assembly and associated fabrication and installation methods of the invention provide many advantages. For example, the strap assembly is versatile in that it may hold many shapes and sizes of tools and accessories. The strap assembly may also resist sliding off the drill over time and heavy use (during the removal and insertion of tools and accessories) if the strap assembly is mounted on both the handle portion and the rear body portion of a drill in such a manner that the strap assembly crosses itself at a rear end portion of the drill for example. Additionally, the strap assembly may protect the body of the drill if dropped or laid on it""s side, as well as add to the comfort of the drill handle by cushioning the hand from the hard plastic and the vibrations of the drill. Furthermore, the strap assembly may act as a trigger hold in that the portion of the at least one strap around the handle may be configured to be pulled up over the trigger to maintain the trigger in a depressed position. Moreover, the strap assembly may fit virtually any make and model of hand-held power drills, externally powered or cordless.